American entertainer George M. Cohan, known as “the man who owned Broadway,” knew how to rescue an inferior piece that might not go over with an audience. Quoth Cohan, “Many a bum show has been saved by the flag.” In other words – wrap up dross in a patriotic display and it might fly.
That is advice evidently taken to heart by many Canadian politicians. You’ve seen them, sporting maple leaf lapel pins, or adorned with red poppies around Remembrance Day. Their speech invariably exudes respect for our fallen, concern for those injured in body or mind in our country’s service. There is even a government newsletter – once quarterly or more but for the last couple of years apparently pared back to semi-annually – which might promulgate their noble sentiments to its readership. Too often though this comes over as an attempt to camouflage insipid and even unhelpful approaches to veterans’ care.
Since some of what I have to say arises from policy initiatives of the present federal government, let me say that I have not been impressed by the approach of any of the governing parties over the last half century or so. Recently however we have seen particularly unimpressive initiatives. One is the removal of a lifelong disability pension for disabled soldiers in favour of a one-time payout – often regarded as inadequate for long-term care. This was opposed by nearly every veterans’ group in the country. Then there was the clawing back of military pensions when disability was also being paid, a practice overruled by the Federal Court – and the issue of compensation for amounts thus taken from the veterans remains outstanding.
More symbolic than anything was the absence of Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino from a scheduled meeting with veterans’ representatives over the closure of his department’s district offices, and the verbal row that subsequently developed between him and the stood-up veterans. Fantino displayed better judgment shortly afterwards when he cancelled his department’s advice to the spouse of a retired soldier who committed suicide on Christmas Day, that the resultant $581.67 overpayment on her disability pension had to be repaid. Perhaps Fantino had had enough bad optics for the time being.
It takes little more than a casual following of the news media to be aware that there is ongoing debate over the inadequacy of military support to current military members afflicted by their service. It also appears that just because the military discharges a serving member for a disability does not mean that the unfortunate veteran will necessarily receive a disability pension – a further evaluation is needed and the pension authority may disagree with the Canadian Forces.
Dealing with the variety of physical and mental injuries which can result from military service is a complex issue. However, the governing principle should be that those injured in the country’s cause should be cared for adequately, sufficiently and respectfully. These days, that is not happening.
Writer David Haas is a long term St. Albert resident.
